Emphysematous pyelonephritis: report of four cases

Purpose: The propose of this study was to describe the imaging findings in four patients with emphysematous pyelonephritis and to perform a review of the literature. Material and methods: Four cases of emphysematous pyelonephritis are presen ted. US and CT examinations were available for all patients. Results: Gas within the kidney may be diagnosed by plain film or rarely by ultrasound, but its location and its extent are best evaluated by CT. A rev iew of the literature shows that emphysematous pyelonephritis is a rare and life-threatening infection typically occuring in diabetic patients. Conclusion: CT is useful for diagnosing emphysematous pyelonephritis, espec ially when symptoms fail to resolve promptly with medical therapy.